Baby eczema! Tried everything and baby so distressed!

[clxby]

Hoping someone might have a new idea here or some help

i have eczema and have since I was small but my baby is 8 months old and has had it since he was 3 months.
We’ve (reluctantly) tried steroid cream about 10 times (fungal and antibiotic types too) and each time it has flared it up worse and even made it flare in OTHER places too so I point blank refuse now.
Baby is so uncomfortable at night time and getting dressed he screams and cries and ITCHES like crazy. He (we) can’t sleep, he won’t eat (all foods not anything particular) because he ends up itching and getting upset, his quality of life is suffering a lot!
The worst is on his cheeks and under his chin and a small patch that weeps on his arm that won’t clear! He scratches like crazy and it’s a losing battle! He has mittens most of the time and is constantly moisturised.
we’re still waiting to be hear from dermatology and allergy clinic. GPs have been USELESS.
We’ve tried probiotics, vitamin D, clay baths, salt baths, ACV baths, every moisturiser, wet wrapping, dry wrapping you name it we’ve probably tried it :(

any advice for night time sleep or anything that worked for your babies eczema??

Sympathy....

GP was worse than useless.

We spent money on a private paediatric allergy specialist (eczema is comorbid with allergies I did not know this!)

They tested her - she did have allergies!!! and gave us medication that cleared up her eczema completely.
She's 20m, I check her every evening and if I see the start of a flare up and small amount of cream keeps it in check. No break outs in a year.

It cost about £500 which isn't cheap but was money well spent Vs toys / days out / baby classes

If you can access central or north London lmk and I will send the details over...

DS had this as a baby, we went to a medical herbalist (NOT homeopath which is garbage woo) and she prescribed a disgusting tincture which cleared it all up. I hope you find something that helps.

Finding out their allergies was key for us too. If you are breastfeeding you can cut out all dairy for 3 weeks for example, it takes something like 2 weeks to work its way out of baby's system. Also cut it out of their diet if they are eating food. This is much harder to do if you are formula feeding as you would need the dr to prescribe specific allergy formulas.

Thank you! we actually have an appointment at a private clinic next week which could lead to allergy testing as I am EBF and he’s weaning now so would definitely be worth it! I cut out dairy for 6 months of his life which didn’t seem to make a slight of difference and I had no guidance on how to introduce again but a calcium deficiency so I’ve introduced again and eczema is the same.. could be something else!
I am close to N London! Where did you go? I will see if it’s similar to what we booked?

I’ve never thought of a herbalist… where did you go for that? Is that Chinese medicine? we did go to a homeopath and hoenstly what a waste! The man didn’t have a clue what he was on about just gave us some white pills and took out money!

its so hard, I really feel for you. Please google topical steroid withdrawal. Steroids are evil, but we are all given them by the doctors.

My DC both had really awful eczema as babies and I paid to see a private dermatologist.

His advice was really simple but effective for us, the key points were:

• use an emollient in the bath and one on the skin (you need to use it way more than you think, every few hours at least and keep using it consistently even when there is no flare up)
• Steroid ointments are better than creams. If it’s not working you might just need a stronger one. Once the eczema is under control don’t stop using the steroid immediately, you need to gradually phase it out
• use only cotton clothes and sensitive laundry detergent (surcare is good)

I think that was largely it from what I remember. Consistency is key. You have my sympathy OP, eczema can be really awful to keep on top of. Hope you get it sorted.

They aren’t evil, they are a vital treatment, without which many people would be living in misery. Steroid withdrawal can be managed via tapering off.

Clearly the OP needs specialised help, but this is nonsense.

The other point he made is that a lot of people, including some GPs, believe that steroids are riskier than they are and underuse that as a result which prolongs and worsens the eczema issues. His advice was that so long as you don’t use them for a prolonged period it’s safe, I.e. just use to get the flare up under control and gradually stop use, repeat if it flares up again.

I’m living in misery. So are thousands of others. Sorry you don’t think this is helpful, I wish someone had warned me!

Stopping all dairy products myself cleared up my dcs eczema when they were bf.
When they could have dairy, goats milk was better.

My sons cleared up by avoiding gluten. In your situation I’d try this for 6 weeks - if it doesn’t work you’ve not done any harm to either you or baby. It’s zero risk and only a slight inconvenience.

And before someone says “ oh no you can’t cut out a whole food group “. Gluten is not a food group - it’s in wheat barley and rye so that’s all you need to avoid.

You can still eat all fruit, vegetables, dairy , meat, fish, poultry, pulses , rice, potatoes and all grains expect what barely and rye.

If you care a lot about pasta/ bread and would miss them, you can buy GF in any big supermarket.

For yourself, you will need to read labels on any processed foods, like flavoured yoghurt and crisps. But I’m assuming your baby isn’t eating these.

I found starflower cream from Napiers worked really well for my son. It kept it at bay. We also put wet towels on the radiators to create a wet heat rather than a dry heat.

@clxby

We went to Dr Adam fox and team.
He and Dr David Mass are amazing.

They work out off a business park near borehamwood/elstree and a clinic in central London.

I did a lot of research they are THE BUSINESS

DS had awful eczema as a baby and we went to a paediatric dermatologist- got prescribed a full treatment plan: bath emollient, creams, steroids and anti histamine for night time. It completely saved our sanity and his skin. Hope your appointment gives you a good outcome

Hi OP, did you manage to get somewhere with this? Considering a private appointment for my LO.

I can imagine you’ve had all the miracle creams suggested to you before, so, apologies, but we found bioskin junior range —the outbreak rescue cream especially, for sore areas, and then the emollient spray for general maintenance—very helpful for our son when he was a baby (also the rescue cream is really nice on my sore, cracked winter hands!)

I’ve heard great things about the Wild & Wood oat products

We were recommended Hope's Relief and haven't found anything more effective on DC's eczema.

My baby brother had eczema.
My aunt had goats. Mum gave him goats milk.
Eczema went away.

Lots of babies who are allergic to dairy are also allergic to soya as the protein is very similar. Would be worth cutting both out to see if things improve. Note also under 1yo blood tests and skin prick tests are unreliable for allergy diagnoses so you might get false negatives or false positives.
Other common allergies include egg, legumes etc. The Facebook CMPA support group is excellent.

Also other mammal milk protein is very similar to cows milk protein so best to avoid until you get the symptoms under control.

I follow someone on Instagram who said now they use glass bottles and the eczema has cured itself. Heating plastics etc or warming milk in plastic bittles seems to have caused it

Try eliminating dust mites, it causes a surprising large amount of excema and general discomfort in babies

Go to an allergist. It often occurs with allergies.

My siblings back in the 60s had eczema as very small babies and were taken off cow milk to control it. Mum formula fed so switching was easy. They ended up settling well on goat milk formula.